The Tale of the Golden Spokes
by AquaTurquoise
Summary: Visiting from Rudistan, Greylock tells Sofia of a magical mountain top in a mysterious country called Okahʋshi (Moon Water). The peak is said to hold half of the world's mystical forces, so naturally Sofia wishes to explore said mountain and witness its mysterious phenomenon that occurs once every hundred years: the Golden Spokes.
1. The Legend

The Tale of the Golden Spokes

Summary: Visiting from Rudistan, Greylock tells Sofia of a magical mountain top in a mysterious country called Okahʋshi (Moon Water). The peak is said to hold half of the world's mystical forces, so naturally Sofia wishes to explore said mountain and witness its mysterious phenomenon that occurs once every hundred years: the Golden Spokes.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Sofia the First." The terms "oka" meaning "water" and "hʋshi" meaning moon/sun come from the Choctaw language, which I speak very little of. ;)

A/N: Hi, hi, everyone! I luckily became inspired to write one more story before my break, thanks to a random viewing of "Baileywhoops." I decided I _had_ to write for my favorite visiting character before my break, so here we have it. Also, this is going to be a two-shot story, so look for the second chapter later when I get a chance to post it. ;) Enjoy!

*STORY*

"We could call it a day if you're that tired," Cedric reminded Sofia for the third time since she'd arrived. He chuckled as she attempted to stop yawning. "I wouldn't be opposed to taking a break either way."

Sofia smiled sleepily and shook her head. "I'm all right, Mr. Cedric," she assured him sweetly. "It's just been a long week."

"I can understand that myself." He shut his book and sat up straighter, stretching momentarily before looking back at the princess. "How about we reconvene at another time when we are both more awake?" He smiled when she giggled and nodded. "Besides, I do believe we have a visitor."

Sofia blinked as her mentor nodded toward his door. She turned around and lit up with delight. "Mr. Greylock!"

The brown-haired sorcerer was rather surprised when the princess enveloped him in a hug, but he leaned down and returned her hug happily before kneeling before her. "Princess Sofia, I do believe you've gotten taller," he commented as she laughed. "Or is it just the tiara?"

"No, Dad and Mom both told me I'm growing a little more." She returned to her seat as Greylock walked over to stand next to his friend/rival. "So what are you doing here, Mr. Greylock?"

"Oh, King Magnus had some royal business to attend to with your father, and he asked me to tag along." He glanced at Cedric, who rolled his eyes at the mention of the other king. "Would you believe the man snores more loudly than Mistress Lilith from Hexley Hall?"

The Enchancian sorcerer smirked and folded his arms. "Hard to believe, honestly. I would assume _no one_ could make more disturbing noises than that woman." He gestured toward a bench, upon which Greylock finally rested. "So how long has King Magnus decided to torture King Roland this time?"

The brunette laughed. "A couple of days, give or take."

"Does that mean you'll be staying here?" Sofia asked excitedly.

"Indeed it does, Princess! And even better: I'll be roommates with dear old Cedric."

The other sorcerer made a sound of dismay. "Oh, no, you don't. There is barely room in this tower for just me—I am _not_ sharing my room with you, Greylock." He waved one hand flippantly. "There are plenty of guest rooms, which I'm sure the king would be glad to offer you. But for goodness sake, make sure you keep it tidy so as to avoid a run-in with Baileywick."

"Aw, but Cedric," Greylock began playfully with a pout, "you don't want to spend time with your old chum—reliving our days at Hexley Hall, telling ghost stories, eating horrid sweets until we cannot stand it anymore?" He grinned as Cedric gave him a dull stare.

"As fun as that sounds, I think I'd rather you have your own room and we save the 'ghost stories' and such things for a later time... _much_ later, in fact."

"We'll find you a room, Mr. Greylock," Sofia insisted with a pleasant smile. "Besides, Mr. Cedric may not have room for any luggage you brought."

"Not to mention he hasn't cleaned the mess off his floor this week, and it's a challenge even for _him_ to enter," Wormwood snarked in addition, making Sofia snicker.

"Ah, well, I appreciate the kindness and hospitality, Princess Sofia." Greylock removed his monocle and cleaned it with a handkerchief as he continued speaking to his friends. "By the way, Cedric, have you ventured to Okahʋshi in the last few years?"

Cedric shook his head as he cleared his table of items from the lesson. "Haven't been there in quite some time. Any changes?"

"Well, the Golden Spokes are returning this year and will be glowing much brighter than before." He grinned as the other sorcerer gave him a look of surprise. "You know what that means."

The Enchancian sorcerer beamed. "Our magic will become stronger!"

The princess blinked at the other two and tilted her head. "Oka-what now?"

"Okahʋshi, Princess," Greylock responded while replacing his monocle. "It is a rather mysterious country with no definitive origins. Legend has it that the native inhabitants settled the land and then just…disappeared. However, there is a mountain with no name at the base of Okahʋshi, and its peak is rumored to contain half of the world's powers, and it serves as the resting point for the Golden Spokes."

"What are the Golden Spokes?" Suddenly, Greylock's legend seemed really fascinating, and Sofia noticed that even her mentor had settled down to listen to the story.

"Every century, on the tip of the unnamed mountain, a golden orb appears and casts a magic haze known as 'the Golden Spokes.' It increases and enhances magic-wielders' powers. So say perhaps mine and Cedric's powers aren't quite as up to par as they need to be."

"They aren't," Cedric griped with a huff. "Otherwise we'd be as renowned as Merlin."

"Well, he's been through a few Golden Spokes himself, if you know what I mean." He grinned as Cedric smirked and rolled his eyes. "Anyway, the phenomenon will cause our powers to become better and stronger even. We won't have nearly as many pitfalls or struggles with that enhancement."

"Do you have to actually be there for it to take effect?" Sofia wondered.

Cedric shook his head. "Not really, but the closer you are, the better the change will be." He sighed. "If I recall correctly, the event should occur tomorrow evening. Oh, now I wish King Roland would let me travel there for that very reason… However, I know the chances of that are rather slim, especially with King Magnus here."

"It couldn't hurt to ask," Sofia suggested gently with a smile. "We could tell Dad it's important for our lessons…which, technically, it is, because power enhancement on your end would benefit both of us, Mr. Cedric." She grinned cheerfully upon seeing her mentor's surprised look.

"You speak more like an adult every day, Sofia." He chuckled at her sheepish look. "Well, I suppose you're right. I mean, the worst he could do is say no. And besides, we'll get a small power boost either way, right?" This time he glanced to Greylock, who nodded.

"King Magnus will take up most of his time anyway, and I'm sure King Roland would rather deal with him diplomatically and effectively… Occupying ourselves would be beneficial."

"Let's go ask him then," the princess said happily as she proceeded to the door with her two friends following behind.

"…And then I hired new servants to install _three_ new glorious statues of, you guessed it, yours truly!" King Magnus chuckled to himself as the other king laughed half-heartedly along with him, appeasing the older man's need to feed his obvious narcissism.

"I always said your kingdom needed more statues of you, Magnus," Roland uttered with a strained grin. He coughed a few times when the other king patted him a little too hard on the back and guffawed at the supposed compliment.

"I should say so! No one should be denied this beautiful mug." He smiled widely.

"Dad?"

Roland turned and seemed to smile and sigh in relief at the sight of the young princess with the two royal sorcerers. "Sofia! And Cedric and Greylock, I suppose you're watching Sofia for me?"

"Something like that," the girl responded with a giggle. "Dad, we wanted to ask you a favor. Mr. Greylock was telling us about a place called Okahʋshi, where some mystical magic thing is supposed to happen tomorrow—and it only happens once every century or so. Can Mr. Cedric and Mr. Greylock take me to watch it?"

"Um, well… Would it be any trouble, Cedric?" He looked toward his sorcerer with a raised eyebrow.

Cedric shook his head. "None whatsoever, Your Majesty. We just needed to have your permission before even attempting such a journey, of course."

"Well, sure, I don't see why not. Is that the event where sorcerers and other magic wielders get better powers or something? I remember my sister talking about it one time."

"Yes, indeed!" Greylock gushed happily. "It's quite honestly the greatest thing that could happen to us in our lifetimes." He grinned toward Cedric. "I'm just glad it happened before we ended up with walking sticks."

Cedric rolled his eyes.

"I don't mind if you wish to visit Okahʋshi, Sofia. Just take care of her, please," Roland finished, directing his last statement to the sorcerers.

"With pleasure, Your Majesty," Greylock replied with a slight bow. "King Magnus? May I have your permission to travel with them?"

"Oh, yes, of course! By all means." The overly zealous king pulled Roland into a bit of a headlock, making the other three snicker somewhat. "It gives me more time to tell Roland here about the huge glass sculpture of a giraffe I'm having built for the east wing."

"Why would you want a glass giraffe statue?" Sofia asked curiously, honestly interested in the man's answer.

"Why _wouldn't_ you?" he retorted with a chuckle.

"I guess I can't argue with that." Sofia laughed and looked up at her temporary guardians. "I'm ready when you are."

Cedric nodded and glanced at Greylock. "In that case, we'd better prepare for our journey."

"Lead the way!"

To be continued…


	2. The Golden Spokes

The Tale of the Golden Spokes

Summary: Visiting from Rudistan, Greylock tells Sofia of a magical mountain top in a mysterious country called Okahʋshi (Moon Water). The peak is said to hold half of the world's mystical forces, so naturally Sofia wishes to explore said mountain and witness its mysterious phenomenon that occurs once every hundred years: the Golden Spokes.

Disclaimer: I do not own "Sofia the First." The terms "oka" meaning "water" and "hʋshi" meaning moon/sun come from the Choctaw language, which I speak very little of. ;)

A/N: Here's the second chapter to the story. Keep an eye out for a surprise story within the next few days.

*Chapter 2: The Golden Spokes*

The previous night had been spent discussing the travel plans and how best to access the unnamed mountain at Okahʋshi. When they finally had a strategy in order, they'd gotten plenty of rest to be ready for their journey.

"How far is it to Okahʋshi?" Sofia asked her temporary guardians as they rode off in the flying coach.

"About an hour or so," Greylock responded while twirling his wand. "We'll be there before you know it, Princess."

Cedric pondered quietly to himself before finally speaking again. "I wonder if, like us, Sofia will earn a magic enhancement as well."

"Me?" the princess asked curiously.

"Well, yes… Your amulet, after all, _does_ have magical properties. I wouldn't be surprised if you earned something of a magical upgrade."

"I see it has changed colors actually," Greylock mentioned with a nod to her now-pink amulet. "What exactly happened to it?"

Sofia giggled. "It's a long story…"

A little while later, the coachman lowered the flying coach and helped each occupant out before locating an appropriate place to await their return.

"Where do we start?" Sofia asked as she looked around in awe. The trees here were pastel colors instead of green or autumn shades. The clouds looked like creampuffs. The ground was a rich brown. And in the distance was a majestic waterfall, shades of blue and teal within the water. It was quite a sight to take in.

"Probably the large mountain over there," Cedric replied somewhat sarcastically as he pointed toward the large landform ahead of them.

"Well done, Cedric!" Greylock cheered as he clapped a hand on his friend's shoulder, startling him. "Onward we go to—uh, Unnamed Mountain!"

"Is there a reason the mountain doesn't have a name?" the princess asked as they marched onward.

"From what I recall, the inhabitants considered it bad luck to name the place where such grand displays of power could be found," the brown-haired sorcerer responded. "They probably believed that if they were to name the mountain, the magic would either vanish or become inept."

Cedric scoffed. "That would be our luck too. Sofia, do not, under any circumstances, attempt to name this mountain."

She laughed at his insistency and nodded. "Anything you say, Mr. Cedric."

The journey up the mountain was somewhat challenging. A few surprise boulders had nearly tripped the trio a couple of times, but they managed to stay alert and on their feet pretty well. Sofia had admired several swaying flowers (all taller than each of them) and had even stopped to speak to a few squirrels, to the sorcerers' amusement and slight confusion, of course.

"The best way to get to the top is this way," Sofia told her friends as she pointed to the right. They'd reached a fork in the pathway and had to determine how to reach their destination.

"And who told you that?" Cedric asked with a bemused smile. "The squirrels?"

"Yes, actually," she mumbled under her breath before giggling. "Just trust me, Mr. Cedric. Have I ever steered you wrong before?" She held up one hand with a grin when he began to respond. "Don't answer that." She laughed and headed down her suggested path.

Greylock smirked. "The princess sure has you figured out, eh, Cedric?"

"That's what happens when we spend so much time together, I suppose. She knows me better than anyone else." He smiled and folded his arms while they kept walking, following the princess.

"Even better than yourself," the other sorcerer added with a chuckle.

"Agreed…"

Once they'd reached the peak of the unnamed mountain, the three friends found a peculiar-looking stone nearly directly in the center.

Sofia observed the stone and tilted her head. "What's this, Mr. Greylock?"

The brown-haired man adjusted his monocle and gasped. "I believe this is it… This has to be the source that will gather and reflect the magic."

"This is where the golden orb will appear?" the girl clarified with wide blue eyes.

"Yes, it's the resting place of the Golden Spokes."

Cedric frowned as he gave the stone a critical look. " _That's_ it?"

"Cedric," Greylock scolded with a disapproving stare, "do _not_ insult the rock. It may look plain and ordinary, but it is where our Golden Spokes will appear, so apologize."

The other sorcerer gave his friend a dubious stare. "…To the _rock_?"

"Come now. We haven't got all night."

Cedric groaned and rolled his eyes. "Rock, I apologize for my careless words. However could I have been so reckless with my commentary? Please do forgive me." He glared at the snickering sorcerer. "There. Happy?"

Sofia giggled. "Mr. Cedric, I've heard more sincere apologies from James when he stole Amber's tiaras."

"Oh, I'm quite sure he was sincere in his apologies, Sofia. Princess Amber is scary when her tiaras have been confiscated." He chuckled when she giggled harder.

They talked a while longer until evening fell and the sky grew darker. Shades of indigo and violet streaked across the sky while stars twinkled into view. Soon enough, a strange yet captivating golden glow began descending from the clouds.

"Is this it?" Sofia asked excitedly as she sat between the two sorcerers.

"I believe so," Greylock whispered as he wielded his wand in anticipation. "Wands ready?"

The other two nodded and held up their own wands.

The golden glow extended faster and faster, illuminating the mountain and all of Okahʋshi as it finally struck the rock, forming a golden orb and a reflected arch of what could only be described as…

"The Golden Spokes," Sofia breathed in awe. "Wow…"

A stretch of iridescent magic erupted from the spokes and leapt from the mountain, showering the entire area with a magical golden haze. A second round stretch forward and immersed itself into the three magic wielders' wands.

Greylock smiled brightly. "Oh, this is wonderful!"

Cedric observed his wand once the Golden Spokes died down, a simple golden orb with glittering magic remaining. He tilted his head curiously. "I don't… _feel_ any more powerful."

"Maybe you should be a bit more confident than that, Mr. Cedric," Sofia told him helpfully. "Come here." She stood up and offered her hand to him, making him smile and accept her offer as he also stood. "Try a challenging spell."

The dark-haired sorcerer nodded and aimed his wand ahead of him before speaking his spell clearly: " _Cookieossity_!"

Greylock blinked in surprise when a plate of cookies appeared before them on the ground. He then slowly turned his head toward Cedric and cleared this throat. "Eh, um, Cedric… I like cookies as much as anyone else, but…exactly what part of 'Cookieossity' is a hard spell?"

"…I panicked, okay? It's the first spell that came to mind!"

Sofia grinned and pointed at the ground. "Never mind that, Mr. Cedric. Look!"

The plate of cookies had grown into a much larger version of itself, and the scent wafting from the delectable treats was fantastic. They smelled like sugar and happiness.

Greylock chuckled. "Well… Mum did always say that you can't go wrong with a large plate of cookies."

Cedric raised an eyebrow at the other man. "Your mum sure has some strange sayings, Greylock…"

While snacking, the trio tried out their magic and discovered that they had in fact gotten stronger. The magic was more precise and effective than before, and they were almost sure that they'd see more improvements as time passed. Meanwhile, it was growing late, and the sorcerers decided that perhaps it was time to return their young charge to her family.

"Hey, do you think we could try teleportation?" she asked excitedly.

"No," Cedric responded firmly while taking her wand from her. "One minor mistake or misspeak, and you could be lost forever. I'm not about to endure the punishment that would follow. We'll take the flying coach home the same way we arrived."

"Okay…but you'll teach me teleportation someday, right, Mr. Cedric?"

Greylock laughed and shook his head. "I'm afraid it's not as easy as you'd like to hope it is, Princess. Otherwise, I'd be popping in all the time simply to bug old Ceddy-kins here."

Cedric shot a glare at Greylock. "The nickname is overkill, Greylock."

"Okay, you two," Sofia giggled before offering them each a large cookie to settle their arguments. "Let's go home."

"I wonder how King Roland is fairing with King Magnus," Cedric mentioned as he broke off part of his cookie.

Greylock snickered.

Back at the castle…

Roland looked rather surprised as he stared at a large statue that Magnus had just revealed to him, the sheet that had been covering it lying on the ground. "It's, uh…magnificent, Magnus…" He laughed uncertainly as the other king guffawed heartily. "Just one question… Why an ostrich?"

"The ostrich is a misunderstood bird," Magnus explained with a proud look on his face. "It needs greater representation. And you'll never guess what my next statue will be of!"

"I'm sure I won't," he replied half-heartedly with a wary chuckle.

"Flamingos! I mean, come on, Roland. Those fancy birds stand on one leg! How can you not have a statue of that?!" He laughed uproariously and began walking forward to inspect his statue a little better.

Roland sighed with a shake of his head. "This man seriously needs a new hobby…"

The end


End file.
